Expert: The Future of Patient Services Will Rely on Digital Hubs

In an interview with Pharmacy Times at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Josh Marsh, vice president and general manager of Sonexus Access and Patient Support at Cardinal Health, discussed how patient assistance programs benefit patients and how these programs are utilizing new technologies to optimize patient care.

Q: How are patient assistance programs affecting care and outcomes?

Josh Marsh: Yeah, we see 2 big impacts that we can have on patient care. Whenever we compare a patient that goes straight to the pharmacy is we're able to reduce the turnaround time for that patient to start on therapy. But also, we're able to ensure that more patients get access to therapy. So, by educating the patient on the journey to come, by utilizing some of that technology that I mentioned earlier, but also combined with the best-in-class customer service team, we're able to impact that journey so that they can get on therapy quicker and see that positive impact to their quality of life.

Q: What is the future of patient services?

Josh Marsh: So. the future of patient services is going to rely very heavily on hubs that are focusing on digital. focusing on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and really meeting that patient where they are on their journey, communicating with them through the appropriate channels, giving them the tools to self-service, as they prefer. But then I always try to balance the technology piece with, you know, 90% of our interactions with patients who are enrolled into a patient services program are still done over the phone. And I think that will come down over time, but we have to ensure that we're balancing the technology and the digital hub to automate where we can with putting the right people who can help those patients to have those conversations and guide them through their journey over the phone as needed.